The Grist Mill
by Sybil Rowan
Summary: They land in an area where there is a historic grist mill... yeah, well Syaoran is smarter than the average teen and exposes a fraud. Just a fun, light comedy.


Title: The Grist Mill

Author: Sybil Rowan

Pairing(s)/Characters: Kurogane and Fai- grouchy together, as always. Syaoran causing trouble.

Rating: K, humor

Summary: They land in an area where there is a historic grist mill... yeah, well Syaoran is smarter than the average teen and exposes a fraud.

Warnings: None, except I ridicule my own profession in this one, so don't PM me about mocking tour guides. I am one, and I am friends with a few park rangers.

Author's Notes: This is just a simple, fun fic. This was a challenge fic to use the last line of a book I had as the first line in a story. Everything was in the car, so I used the hotel visitors' guide.

Disclaimer: _Tsubasa: Reservoir_ Chronicle belong to CLAMP.

Beta Reader: None

Date: May 17, 2015, 05:18 pm

Word Count: 854

"This site is named for a historic mill that began operation in the 1840s," the smiling tour guide exclaimed, waving his hand at the brick structure. Kurogane always hated thrilling fanfare like this. Especially, for some old, rotted building. He had to endure this tour because the princess' memory feather was somewhere around here.

This building, in this realm, was protected under something called the "National Park Service" so they couldn't just walk around and find the feather hiding in the old grist mill. These people, called "Park Rangers," had given them grief when they tried searching on their own. They were forced on something called a guided tour, which Kurogane found odious.

In Nihongo Country, all were allowed to come to sacred shrines and give respect. It made no sense having someone show him how to give respect to a shrine. But then, why was a grist mill considered a shrine? It was just a stupid grist mill, for crying out loud! He shook his head and decided he had, had it with this realm. He couldn't wait for the next one.

"When do we get out of here?" Kurogane griped in a whisper to Fai, wondering if the wizard's home world of Celes had such silliness. Probably, Kurogane thought dryly. The blond wizard only gave a charming grin to Kurogane and pointed to the second story of the grist mill.

Fai put a protective arm around the princess' shoulders. She was still dazed from their last realm visit, so she leaned against Fai and drowsed. She hadn't spoken a word since they had arrived.

Kurogane smacked his face and sighed as his pupil's backside was dangling out of a window. He snarled, "Figures," at Syaoran's obsession with any old structures and objects. Only a natural-born archaeologist would be so foolish around rickety structures in Kurogane's thoughts.

The tour guide smacked his hands together in a loud clap and looked over the rim of his glasses with a firm, authoritative glare at Kurogane and Fai. "No talking until question time!"

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir," Fai said in a bright way with a friendly wave to combat that harsh glower from the tour guide. Also, like Kurogane, Fai didn't want to draw attention to Syaoran hang out of the window of the old, grist mill.

"Oh! Look over there!" Fai shouted and pointed at a dying tree. The tour guide squealed and moved the group towards the tree where he gave some long, boring story about it being the oldest tree on the property, but it met a tragic end due to lightening. Kurogane dryly wished more things on this property would meet a tragic end starting with the tour guide...

Kurogane glanced over to see what the kid was doing or if he needed any help. Now, Syaoran was making a leap to the ground and rejoining the group. The teen said, "Sir, I found this. According to your records this place is now in the year 2040. But none of these objects could possibly be 200 years old. Plus I saw signs of artificial distressing and ..."

"What?! Did you leave the guided tour?!" the man snarled with a menacing finger wagged at Sayoran's nose.

"Well, yes," Syaoran said matter-of-factually. He lofted a piece of iron and said, "This gear isn't as old as you say. I can tell by the wear. Neither is that grist mill. It was built about sixty years ago, to my estimation."

The tour group gasped and gave the tour guide accusing looks. Syaoron drew one of Sakura's feathers from his cloak and released it to the girl. She moaned and fell into a deeper sleep against Fai. Kurogane was glad the kid had found the feather in the grist mill so quick. Fai lofted Sakura into his arms as angry patrons were demanding their money back from the tour guide.

"Let's get out of here, pork bun," Kurogane said, fishing Mokona out of his own cloak's inner pocket.

"Yeap, yeap!" The white creature squealed and transported them to the next realm just as an old lady was smacking the tour guide about the head and shoulder with her umbrella. She accused him of ruining her childhood history and destroying local lore with the deceptive grist mill.

End.


End file.
